Nothing
to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea
by Barbara Demick
Nonfiction
North Korea has earned a reputation for secrecy and
isolation. Its seclusion from the rest of the world makes it almost impossible
to learn about the people who live there by visiting or interviewing citizens.
Barbara Demick, author of
Nothing to Envy:
Ordinary Lives in North Korea, found that it was easier to learn about the
country from defectors. Demick recounts the experiences of six former
North Korean citizens. Over the span of fifteen years, readers see the people
grow, study, fall in love, work, and eventually escape, all in the context of
North Korean history. During these unsteady years, the leader Kim Il-sung dies,
is replaced by his son Kim Jong-il, and a famine hits, devastating the
population. Through the defectors, Barbara Demick is able to personalize these
events as the reader gets to see the impact on these ordinary lives while
getting a glimpse at life in one the of the most secluded countries in the
world.
The stereotype of the brainwashed robotic citizen
is quickly shattered as Demick begins her book by describing the story of two
lovers who came from different social classes and met at night in order to
avoid ruining their future prospects. The story of two young star-crossed
lovers is a common plot, but what makes it unique and unfamiliar is its
context. Demick describes how the frequent power outages in North Korea made
safe for the lovers to meet at night because their town was pitch black after
the sun set. However, the lovers still had to be careful in order to avoid
being spotted by the secret police.
While describing the microcosm of her subjects’
lives, Demick is also able to explain the macrocosm of North Korean history and
life by weaving in facts and statistics. Demick inserts small parts of life in
North Korea that would have had an effect on her readers, such as the rule that
men aren’t allowed to grow hair on top of their head longer than 5 cm. These
small details wouldn’t be found in a history book and help the reader relate to
her subjects and imagine what life is like in that country. For example, Demick
takes a break from talking about Dr. Kim’s work treating starving pediatric
patients in order to describe the plummeting North Korean economy. Dr. Kim, and
Demick’s other subjects, are oblivious to the role North Korea plays in the
world so it is helpful for Demick to tell the stories in a larger context.
Lately, more information about the country has been
available given the increasing number of defectors, but previously, hardly
anything was known about everyday life within North Korea’s borders. Barbara
Demick’s book provides a close up look at one of the most secluded countries in
the world during a pivotal time.
